An Indian-American scientist has built the first 3-D model of a human fingerprint called Phantom on 06 March 2014.That could boost the accuracy of fingerprint-matching systems and improve security technology. The 3-D finger surface, complete with all the ridges and valleys that make up the human fingerprint, is made using a 3-D printer.

Tools like this would help improve the overall accuracy of fingerprint-matching systems, which eventually leads to better security in applications ranging from law enforcement to mobile phone unlock.

Imaging phantoms are common in the world of medical imaging. For example, to make sure an MRI machine or a CT scanner is working properly, it needs to first image an object of known dimensions and material properties.

In health care, a 3-D heart or kidney can be created. Because the dimensions are known, they can be put into a scanner and the imaging system can be calibrated

In this case, the ultimate goal is to have a precise fingerprint model with known properties and features that can be used to calibrate existing technology used to match fingerprints.